Ohio University announces international conference on perpetual pavement

ATHENS, Ohio (Sept. 11, 2006) -- Ohio University's Ohio Research Institute for Transportation and the Environment (ORITE), part of the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, will host the first International Conference on Perpetual Pavement, Sept. 13 to 15 at the Hilton Columbus at Easton in Columbus, Ohio.

More than 120 experts on perpetual pavement from across the globe will discuss optimal design and construction approaches for asphalt pavements that have a lifespan of at least 40 to 50 years ? with minimal maintenance.

As part of the conference, ORITE, which organized the event, will demonstrate a warm asphalt and perpetual pavement experiment at its Accelerated Pavement Load Facility in Lancaster, Ohio.

Keynote speakers will be Carl L. Monismith, director of the University of California at Berkeley's Pavement Research Center; and Mike Nunn, a specialist pavement consultant with LaneOne Ltd. in the United Kingdom.

Opening remarks will be given by Roderick J. McDavis, president of Ohio University; King W. Gee, associate administrator for infrastructure of the Federal Highway Administration; and Gordon Proctor, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Harold Linnenkohl, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Transportation and president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, will present the 2005 Asphalt Pavement Alliance Perpetual Pavement Awards.

E. Ray Brown, director of the National Center for Asphalt Technology, will give closing remarks.

The conference is being co-sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration, the Ohio Department of Transportation, the New York State Department of Transportation, the Texas Department of Transportation, the Central Ohio Section of the American Society for Civil Engineers, the Asphalt Institute, the Asphalt Pavement Alliance, the National Asphalt Pavement Association, the National Center for Asphalt Technology and State Asphalt Pavement Associations.